Discovery for pattern utilization for application transformation and migration into the cloud pattern

ABSTRACT

An approach is provided in which an information handling system receives a set of discovery results that correspond to source application services executing in source environments. The information handling system then maps the set of discovery results to a target pattern includes at least one declarative description describing one or more components included in at least one of the one or more source environments. In turn, the information handling system creates a target application service based, at least in part, on the target pattern.

BACKGROUND

Today's information technology (IT) environments are becomingincreasingly complex and typically require IT managers to concentratetheir efforts on maintaining existing applications and existinginfrastructures. However, situations arise that require migratingexisting servers and software to new IT environments, such as forenhanced services, lower costs, mergers, acquisitions, or other businessor technology purposes. The migration process involves migratingphysical components, virtual components, application logic, applicationdata, network affinities, etc. from the existing IT environments to thenew IT environments.

Industry standard “patterns” encompass proven practices and knowledgethat are captured, lab tested, and optimized into repeatable anddeployable forms. The patterns typically include declarativedescriptions corresponding to different IT areas such as installation,configuration, optimization, and management of systems. Each patterndescribes an application's environment in a logical way, such as itscomponents, configurations, relationships, and points of variability.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an approach isprovided in which an information handling system receives a set ofdiscovery results that correspond to source application servicesexecuting in source environments. The information handling system thenmaps the set of discovery results to a target pattern includes at leastone declarative description describing one or more components includedin at least one of the one or more source environments. In turn, theinformation handling system creates a target application service based,at least in part, on the target pattern.

The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity,simplifications, generalizations, and omissions of detail; consequently,those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary isillustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Otheraspects, inventive features, and advantages of the present disclosure,as defined solely by the claims, will become apparent in thenon-limiting detailed description set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure may be better understood, and its numerousobjects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in theart by referencing the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a data processing system in which themethods described herein can be implemented;

FIG. 2 provides an extension of the information handling systemenvironment shown in FIG. 1 to illustrate that the methods describedherein can be performed on a wide variety of information handlingsystems which operate in a networked environment;

FIG. 3 is a high-level diagram depicting an example of a rapidtransformation engine that migrates a source application service from asource environment to a target environment using industry standardpatterns;

FIG. 4 is a detail diagram depicting an example of a rapidtransformation engine that migrates a source application service andcorresponding content to a target environment using industry standardpatterns;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart depicting an example of steps taken to migratesource application services and source content to a target cloudenvironment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart depicting an example of steps taken to create atarget application service from target patterns and provision the targetapplication service to target environments;

FIG. 7 is a diagram depicting a graphical example of businessapplication-centric discovery results generated by an affinity discoverynetwork component; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting an example of discovery results mapped toindustry standard patterns.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure.As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the disclosure and the practical application, and toenable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosurefor various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computerprogram product. The computer program product may include a computerreadable storage medium (or media) having computer readable programinstructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of thepresent invention.

The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that canretain and store instructions for use by an instruction executiondevice. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but isnot limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device,an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, asemiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of thecomputer readable storage medium includes the following: a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portablecompact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD),a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such aspunch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructionsrecorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Acomputer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construedas being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freelypropagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagatingthrough a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulsespassing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmittedthrough a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can bedownloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computerreadable storage medium or to an external computer or external storagedevice via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, awide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprisecopper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wirelesstransmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/oredge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in eachcomputing/processing device receives computer readable programinstructions from the network and forwards the computer readable programinstructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium withinthe respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations ofthe present invention may be assembler instructions,instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions,machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions,state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in anycombination of one or more programming languages, including an objectoriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, andconventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C”programming language or similar programming languages. The computerreadable program instructions may execute entirely on the user'scomputer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone softwarepackage, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computeror entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario,the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through anytype of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide areanetwork (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer(for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example,programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), orprogrammable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readableprogram instructions by utilizing state information of the computerreadable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry,in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to aprocessor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computeror other programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructionsmay also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can directa computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or otherdevices to function in a particular manner, such that the computerreadable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises anarticle of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects ofthe function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram blockor blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other deviceto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer,other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computerimplemented process, such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardwareand computer instructions. The following detailed description willgenerally follow the summary of the disclosure, as set forth above,further explaining and expanding the definitions of the various aspectsand embodiments of the disclosure as necessary.

FIG. 1 illustrates information handling system 100, which is asimplified example of a computer system capable of performing thecomputing operations described herein. Information handling system 100includes one or more processors 110 coupled to processor interface bus112. Processor interface bus 112 connects processors 110 to Northbridge115, which is also known as the Memory Controller Hub (MCH). Northbridge115 connects to system memory 120 and provides a means for processor(s)110 to access the system memory. Graphics controller 125 also connectsto Northbridge 115. In one embodiment, Peripheral Component Interconnect(PCI) Express bus 118 connects Northbridge 115 to graphics controller125. Graphics controller 125 connects to display device 130, such as acomputer monitor.

Northbridge 115 and Southbridge 135 connect to each other using bus 119.

In one embodiment, the bus is a Direct Media Interface (DMI) bus thattransfers data at high speeds in each direction between Northbridge 115and Southbridge 135. In another embodiment, a PCI bus connects theNorthbridge and the Southbridge. Southbridge 135, also known as theInput/Output (I/O) Controller Hub (ICH) is a chip that generallyimplements capabilities that operate at slower speeds than thecapabilities provided by the Northbridge. Southbridge 135 typicallyprovides various busses used to connect various components. These bussesinclude, for example, PCI and PCI Express busses, an ISA bus, a SystemManagement Bus (SMBus or SMB), and/or a Low Pin Count (LPC) bus. The LPCbus often connects low-bandwidth devices, such as boot ROM 196 and“legacy” I/O devices (using a “super I/O” chip). The “legacy” I/Odevices (198) can include, for example, serial and parallel ports,keyboard, mouse, and/or a floppy disk controller. Other components oftenincluded in Southbridge 135 include a Direct Memory Access (DMA)controller, a Programmable Interrupt Controller (PIC), and a storagedevice controller, which connects Southbridge 135 to nonvolatile storagedevice 185, such as a hard disk drive, using bus 184.

ExpressCard 155 is a slot that connects hot-pluggable devices to theinformation handling system. ExpressCard 155 supports both PCI Expressand Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectivity as it connects toSouthbridge 135 using both the USB and the PCI Express bus. Southbridge135 includes USB Controller 140 that provides USB connectivity todevices that connect to the USB. These devices include webcam (camera)150, infrared (IR) receiver 148, keyboard and trackpad 144, andBluetooth device 146, which provides for wireless personal area networks(PANs). USB Controller 140 also provides USB connectivity to othermiscellaneous USB connected devices 142, such as a mouse, removablenonvolatile storage device 145, modems, network cards, IntegratedServices Digital Network (ISDN) connectors, fax, printers, USB hubs, andmany other types of USB connected devices. While removable nonvolatilestorage device 145 is shown as a USB-connected device, removablenonvolatile storage device 145 could be connected using a differentinterface, such as a Firewire interface, etcetera.

Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) device 175 connects to Southbridge 135via the PCI or PCI Express bus 172. LAN device 175 typically implementsone of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)802.11 standards of over-the-air modulation techniques that all use thesame protocol to wireless communicate between information handlingsystem 100 and another computer system or device. Optical storage device190 connects to Southbridge 135 using Serial Analog Telephone Adapter(ATA) (SATA) bus 188. Serial ATA adapters and devices communicate over ahigh-speed serial link. The Serial ATA bus also connects Southbridge 135to other forms of storage devices, such as hard disk drives. Audiocircuitry 160, such as a sound card, connects to Southbridge 135 via bus158. Audio circuitry 160 also provides functionality such as audioline-in and optical digital audio in port 162, optical digital outputand headphone jack 164, internal speakers 166, and internal microphone168. Ethernet controller 170 connects to Southbridge 135 using a bus,such as the PCI or PCI Express bus. Ethernet controller 170 connectsinformation handling system 100 to a computer network, such as a LocalArea Network (LAN), the Internet, and other public and private computernetworks.

While FIG. 1 shows one information handling system, an informationhandling system may take many forms. For example, an informationhandling system may take the form of a desktop, server, portable,laptop, notebook, or other form factor computer or data processingsystem. In addition, an information handling system may take other formfactors such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a gaming device,Automated Teller Machine (ATM), a portable telephone device, acommunication device or other devices that include a processor andmemory.

FIG. 2 provides an extension of the information handling systemenvironment shown in FIG. 1 to illustrate that the methods describedherein can be performed on a wide variety of information handlingsystems that operate in a networked environment. Types of informationhandling systems range from small handheld devices, such as handheldcomputer/mobile telephone 210 to large mainframe systems, such asmainframe computer 270. Examples of handheld computer 210 includepersonal digital assistants (PDAs), personal entertainment devices, suchas Moving Picture Experts Group Layer-3 Audio (MP3) players, portabletelevisions, and compact disc players. Other examples of informationhandling systems include pen, or tablet, computer 220, laptop, ornotebook, computer 230, workstation 240, personal computer system 250,and server 260. Other types of information handling systems that are notindividually shown in FIG. 2 are represented by information handlingsystem 280. As shown, the various information handling systems can benetworked together using computer network 200. Types of computer networkthat can be used to interconnect the various information handlingsystems include Local Area Networks (LANs), Wireless Local Area Networks(WLANs), the Internet, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN),other wireless networks, and any other network topology that can be usedto interconnect the information handling systems. Many of theinformation handling systems include nonvolatile data stores, such ashard drives and/or nonvolatile memory. Some of the information handlingsystems shown in FIG. 2 depicts separate nonvolatile data stores (server260 utilizes nonvolatile data store 265, mainframe computer 270 utilizesnonvolatile data store 275, and information handling system 280 utilizesnonvolatile data store 285). The nonvolatile data store can be acomponent that is external to the various information handling systemsor can be internal to one of the information handling systems. Inaddition, removable nonvolatile storage device 145 can be shared amongtwo or more information handling systems using various techniques, suchas connecting the removable nonvolatile storage device 145 to a USB portor other connector of the information handling systems.

FIGS. 3-7 depict an approach that can be executed on an informationhandling system to migrate applications from a source environment to atarget environment using industry standard patterns. As discussedpreviously, today's IT environments are becoming more complex andtypically require IT managers concentrate their efforts on maintainingexisting applications and their supporting underlying infrastructure. Asa result, little time is available for migrating applications from theirsource environment to different computer environments such ascloud-based environments. Prior to this disclosure, the migrationprocess may require numerous IT man-hours and an extended length ofsystem downtime to complete the migration process, especially if thetarget environment is a cloud-based environment.

This disclosure describes an approach taken by the information handlingsystem to discover source application landscapes and affinities within asource environment; map the source application landscapes and affinitiesto industry standard patterns; integrate source application logic withthe mapped industry standard patterns to create target applications;provision the target applications onto target environments; and migratesource content to the provisioned target applications.

The information handling system provides an automated capability tomatch the discovered application landscapes and affinities to a catalogof industry-wide standard patterns. In one embodiment, the patterns areprovided by multiple cloud providers and support multiple deploymenttypes (private cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud). The informationhandling system creates target applications from the industry standardpatterns that, in one embodiment, retain or increase the service qualityof the service in various nonfunctional areas (performance,availability, etc.). In turn, the information handling system provisionsthe target applications to one or multiple different cloud providers andtransforms the source content utilized by the source application totarget content that is available for the target applications.

FIG. 3 is a high-level diagram depicting an example of a rapidtransformation engine that migrates a source application service from asource environment to a target environment using industry standardpatterns. As discussed in detail below, source environment 300 mayinclude a discovery component (e.g., affinity discovery networkcomponent 410 shown in FIG. 4) that scans source environment 300 toidentify interdependencies between applications, middleware, servers,and network components across a full scanned environment for allsystems. The discovery component then generates discovery results thatinclude application landscapes and affinities of source applicationsexecuting in the scanned environment. For example, the discovery resultsmay include application-centric data models based on topologies andrelationships between hardware components and software componentsutilized by source application service 310.

From the discovery results, rapid transformation engine 320 identifiesindustry standard patterns corresponding to the discovery results thatalso fulfill requested service levels outlined in a client's servicequality requirements (e.g., service quality requirements 430 shown inFIG. 4). The industry standard patterns may be a composite of patternssupplied by public, private, and/or hybrid cloud environments (see FIGS.4, 5, 8, and corresponding text for further details).

Once rapid transformation engine 320 identifies the target patterns,rapid transformation engine 320 integrates the target patterns withsource application logic from source application service 310 to createtarget application service 340. In one embodiment, and orchestrationengine, such as pattern orchestration engine 480 shown in FIG. 4,creates target application service 340 from the source application logicand identified target patterns. Target application service 340 is thenprovisioned to target environments 350, which may be one cloudenvironment or multiple types of cloud environments.

Next, rapid transformation engine 320 transforms source content utilizedby source application service 310 to target content (see FIG. 4 andcorresponding text for further details). The target content is thendeployed to target environment 330 and target application service 340 isconfigured to utilize the target content. At this point, targetapplication service 340 is fully functional and ready to support aclient's requirements.

FIG. 4 is a diagram depicting an example of a rapid transformationengine that migrates a source application service to a targetenvironment using industry standard patterns. Affinity discovery networkcomponent 410 scans source environment 300 to identify interdependenciesbetween applications, middleware, servers, and network components acrosssource environment 300. Affinity discovery network component 410 thenstores discovery results 415 in discovery store 420. In one embodiment,the discovery results are stored in an application-centric data modelsuch as the example shown in FIG. 7.

Rapid transformation engine 320 retrieves discovery results 415 fromdiscovery store 415 and retrieves service quality requirements 430 from,for example, a client configuration storage area. Service qualityrequirements 430 may be generated by a system developer or a clientcorresponding to source application service 310.

Rapid transformation engine 320 uses pattern matching and learningcomponent 440 to evaluate discovery results 415. In one embodiment,pattern matching and learning component 440 partitions theapplication-centric data models across multiple dimensions (e.g.,infrastructure, middleware DBMS, middleware application server andnetwork affinities, etc.). Then, pattern matching and learning component440 uses the partitioning results to select best fitting pattern(s) frompattern catalog 450 according to service quality requirements 430 of theparticular dimensions. Referring to FIG. 7, pattern matching andlearning component 440 maps the set of discovery results “AppType”DB2″to target pattern “Flavor:DB2.” Rapid transformation engine 320, in oneembodiment, then provides the target patterns 465 to patternorchestration engine 480.

Pattern orchestration engine 480 integrates target patterns 465 withsource application logic 400 from source application service 310 tocreate target application service 340. Source application logic 400, inone embodiment, describes executable components that implement sourceapplication service 310, such as an enterprise archive (EAR) file formatto serve as a container for executable application modules. Patternorchestration engine 480 then provisions target application service 340to target environments 350.

Rapid transformation engine 320's content transformation component 460retrieves source content 405 (e.g., data utilized by source applicationservice 310) from source application service 310 and transforms sourcecontent 405 into target content 475 specific to target environments 350and target application service 340 using, for example, vendor suppliedconversion tools. Rapid transformation engine 320 deploys target content475 to target environments 350 and configures target application service340 to utilize target content 475 in target environments 350.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart depicting an example of steps taken to migratesource application services and source content to a target cloudenvironment. FIG. 5 processing commences at 500 whereupon, at step 505,the process discovers source environment 300's application landscapesand affinities, which includes source application service 310. In oneembodiment, the discovery process identifies several physical componentsand virtual components utilized by source application services 310within source environment 300 (see FIG. 7 and corresponding text forfurther details).

The process stores the discovery results in discovery store 420. In oneembodiment, the discovery results are in “sets” of discovery resultsadhering to a business application-centric data model. In thisembodiment, each of the sets of discovery results may correspond todifferent applications executing on source environment 300. At step 510,the process retrieves service quality requirements that indicatespecific client needs, such as a specific level of service at particulardimensions (infrastructure, middleware, etc.). As discussed below, theprocess uses the service quality requirements to map the discoveryresults to applicable target patterns.

At step 520, the process selects a first set of discovery results fromdiscovery store 420 and, at step 530, the process maps the selected setof discovery results against industry standard target patterns includedin pattern catalog 460 while considering the service qualityrequirements. In one embodiment, the process evaluates the set ofdiscovery results against certain type of industry standard patternsfrom certain vendors based on the service quality requirements and/ortarget environments. For example, if the service quality requirementsindicate a service level that company XYZ's cloud service provides, thenprocessing may evaluate just the target patterns corresponding tocompany XYZ's cloud environment.

The process determines as to whether the selected set of discoveryresults maps to one of the target patterns (decision 540). If theselected set of discovery results maps to an available target pattern inthe pattern catalog, then decision 540 branches to the ‘yes’ branchwhereupon, at step 550, the process selects the matched targetpattern(s) for provisioning.

On the other hand, if the discovered pattern does not match an availabletarget pattern in the pattern catalog, then decision 540 branches to the‘no’ branch. At step 560, the process generates new pattern(s) to storeinto pattern catalog 460 for subsequent use, and selects the newlygenerated pattern(s) for provisioning. In one embodiment, the processreceives input from migration experts to create an altogether newpattern or modify an existing pattern to support the set of discoveryresults.

A determination is made as to whether there are more sets of discoveryresults (e.g., more source applications) to evaluate against the targetpatterns (decision 565). If there are more sets of discovery results toevaluate, decision 565 branches to the “Yes” branch, which loops back toselect and evaluate the next set of discovery results. This loopingcontinues until there are no more sets of discovery results to evaluate,at which point decision 565 branches to the “No” branch.

At step 570, the process evaluates the selected target patterns andcombines various patterns if applicable. For example, the process maycombine an application server deployment pattern with a database serverdeployment pattern to form a complete application service pattern. Atpre-defined process block 580, the process then integrates sourceapplication logic 400 with the selected target patterns to create atarget application service and provision the target application serviceto a target environment. The process then transforms source content 405to target content and deploys the target content to the targetenvironment for use by the target application (see FIG. 6 andcorresponding text for further details). FIG. 5 processing thereafterends at 595.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart depicting an example of steps taken to create atarget application service from target patterns and provision the targetapplication service to target environments. Processing commences at 600whereupon, at step 610, the process retrieves application logic 400 fromsource application service 310. At step 620, the process integratesapplication logic 400 with the target patterns selected in FIG. 5 tocreate target application service 360. The target patterns may be viewedas “blueprints” that include declarative descriptions of sourceapplication services 310.

The process, at step 630, provisions target application service 360 totarget environment 350. In one embodiment, target environment 350 mayinclude multiple types of cloud environments. In this embodiment, theprocess uses the various cloud environments' API interfaces and followsa certain provisioning sequence to ensure that component dependenciesare met. For example, the process may first provision a database beforeprovisioning an application server because the application server isconfigured to connect to the database.

At step 640, the process retrieves source content 405 from sourceapplication service 310 and, at step 650, the process transforms sourcecontent 405 into a format suitable for target application service 360and target environment 350. In one embodiment, the process may utilizecontent transformation components supplied by target environmentvendors. The process then deploys target content 475 into targetenvironment 350. At step 660, the process configures target applicationservice 360 to utilize target content 475. FIG. 6 processing thereafterends at 695.

FIG. 7 is a diagram depicting a graphical example of businessapplication-centric discovery results generated by affinity discoverynetwork component 410. Affinity discovery network component 410, shownin FIG. 4, scans source environment 300 to identify interdependenciesbetween applications, middleware, servers, and network components acrossa full scanned source environment 300 for all systems. Affinitydiscovery network component 410 then generates discovery results 415that include application landscapes and affinities of sourceapplications executing in the scanned environment. As those skilled inthe art can appreciate, discovery results 415 is an example of discoveryresults that may be generated during a discovery scan and may includemore, less, and/or different components than that shown in FIG. 7.

Discovery results 415 shows source application service 310 andrelationships between network affinities 730, network information 720,and network layout 725. Discovery results 415 also shows hardwarecomponents utilized by source application service 310 such asinfrastructure 760, virtual hardware 740, and below hypervisor hardware750.

In addition, discovery results 415 shows middleware components utilizedby source application service 310, such as middleware application server795, application container 780, and Application Server (AS) instance790. Discovery results 415 also shows source content utilized by sourceapplication service 310, which is database instance 770 (e.g., sourcecontent 405) via middleware DBMS 775.

FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting an example of discovery results mapped toindustry standard patterns. Rapid transformation engine 320 evaluatesdiscovery results 810 and selects industry standard patternscorresponding to the discovery results that also fulfill requestedservice levels outlined in service quality requirements 430. In oneembodiment, the selected patterns may be a composite of patternssupplied by either public, private, or hybrid cloud environments.

Pattern mapping diagram 800 shows that rapid transformation engine 320maps each application in discovery results 810 to an industry standardpattern except application 830. As such, rapid transformation engine 320creates a new pattern 840 that describes application 830's components,configurations, relationships, etc. (see step 560 in FIG. 5 andcorresponding text for further details). In turn, rapid transformationengine 320 includes new pattern 830 into target patterns 820, whichrapid transformation engine 320 sends to pattern orchestration engine480 for further processing as discussed herein.

While particular embodiments of the present disclosure have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that,based upon the teachings herein, that changes and modifications may bemade without departing from this disclosure and its broader aspects.Therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope allsuch changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scopeof this disclosure. Furthermore, it is to be understood that thedisclosure is solely defined by the appended claims. It will beunderstood by those with skill in the art that if a specific number ofan introduced claim element is intended, such intent will be explicitlyrecited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no suchlimitation is present. For non-limiting example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims contain usage of theintroductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claimelements. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed toimply that the introduction of a claim element by the indefinitearticles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing suchintroduced claim element to disclosures containing only one suchelement, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “oneor more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an”;the same holds true for the use in the claims of definite articles.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method implemented by an informationhandling system that includes a memory and a processor, the methodcomprising: receiving a set of discovery results corresponding to one ormore source application services executing in one or more sourceenvironments; mapping the set of discovery results to a target patternbased on the set of discovery results, wherein the target patterncomprises at least one declarative description describing one or morefirst components included in at least one of the one or more sourceenvironments; creating, by the processor, a target application servicebased, at least in part, upon integrating the target pattern with sourceapplication logic included in the source application service, whereinthe source application logic describes one or more second componentsimplemented in the source application service; and provisioning thetarget application service to one or more target environments.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising: transforming source contentutilized by the selected source application service to target content;migrating the target content to the one or more target environments; andconfiguring the target application service to utilize the targetcontent.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more sourceenvironments are non-cloud environments and the one or more targetenvironments are cloud environments.
 4. The method of claim 1 whereinthe set of discovery results is an application-centric data model, andwherein the mapping further comprises: partitioning theapplication-centric data model across a plurality of dimensions,resulting in a plurality of partitions; for each of the plurality ofdimensions: selecting a corresponding one of the plurality ofpartitions; and comparing the selected partition against a plurality oftarget patterns based on one or more service quality requirements of thecorresponding dimension, wherein the target pattern is included in theplurality of target patterns; and performing the mapping based upon thecomparing.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein at least one of theplurality of dimensions is selected from the group consisting of aninfrastructure dimension, a middleware database dimension, a middlewareapplication server dimension, and a network affinities dimension.
 6. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising: comparing the set of discoveryresults against a plurality of target patterns, wherein the targetpattern is included in the plurality of target patterns; in response todetermining that the set of discovery results do not match at least oneof the plurality of target patterns, creating a new pattern thatdescribes the set of discovery results; and utilizing the new patternduring the producing of the target application service.
 7. Aninformation handling system comprising: one or more processors; a memorycoupled to at least one of the processors; a set of computer programinstructions stored in the memory and executed by at least one of theprocessors in order to perform actions of: receiving a set of discoveryresults corresponding to one or more source application servicesexecuting in one or more source environments; mapping the set ofdiscovery results to a target pattern based on the set of discoveryresults, wherein the target pattern comprises at least one declarativedescription describing one or more first components included in at leastone of the one or more source environments; creating, by the processor,a target application service based, at least in part, upon integratingthe target pattern with source application logic included in the sourceapplication service, wherein the source application logic describes oneor more second components implemented in the source application service;and provisioning the target application service to one or more targetenvironments.
 8. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein theprocessors perform additional actions comprising: transforming sourcecontent utilized by the selected source application service to targetcontent; migrating the target content to the one or more targetenvironments; and configuring the target application service to utilizethe target content.
 9. The information handling system of claim 8wherein the one or more source environments are non-cloud environmentsand the one or more target environments are cloud environments.
 10. Theinformation handling system of claim 7 wherein the set of discoveryresults is an application-centric data model, and wherein the processorsperform additional actions comprising: partitioning theapplication-centric data model across a plurality of dimensions,resulting in a plurality of partitions; for each of the plurality ofdimensions: selecting a corresponding one of the plurality ofpartitions; and comparing the selected partition against a plurality oftarget patterns based on one or more service quality requirements of thecorresponding dimension, wherein the target pattern is included in theplurality of target patterns; and performing the mapping based upon thecomparing.
 11. The information handling system of claim 10 wherein atleast one of the plurality of dimensions is selected from the groupconsisting of an infrastructure dimension, a middleware databasedimension, a middleware application server dimension, and a networkaffinities dimension.
 12. The information handling system of claim 7wherein the processors perform additional actions comprising: comparingthe set of discovery results against a plurality of target patterns,wherein the target pattern is included in the plurality of targetpatterns; in response to determining that the set of discovery resultsdo not match at least one of the one or more target patterns, creating anew pattern that describes the set of discovery results; and includingthe new pattern in the one or more target patterns and utilizing the newpattern during the producing of the target application service.
 13. Acomputer program product stored in a computer readable storage medium,comprising computer program code that, when executed by an informationhandling system, causes the information handling system to performactions comprising: receiving a set of discovery results correspondingto one or more source application services executing in one or moresource environments; mapping the set of discovery results to a targetpattern based on the set of discovery results, wherein the targetpattern comprises at least one declarative description describing one ormore first components included in at least one of the one or more sourceenvironments; creating, by the processor, a target application servicebased, at least in part, upon integrating the target pattern with sourceapplication logic included in the source application service, whereinthe source application logic describes one or more second componentsimplemented in the source application service; and provisioning thetarget application service to one or more target environments.
 14. Thecomputer program product of claim 13 wherein the information handlingsystem performs further actions comprising: transforming source contentutilized by the selected source application service to target content;migrating the target content to the one or more target environments; andconfiguring the target application service to utilize the targetcontent.
 15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the set ofdiscovery results is an application-centric data model, and wherein theinformation handling system performs further actions comprising:partitioning the application-centric data model across a plurality ofdimensions, resulting in a plurality of partitions; for each of theplurality of dimensions: selecting a corresponding one of the pluralityof partitions; and comparing the selected partition against a pluralityof target patterns based on one or more service quality requirements ofthe corresponding dimension, wherein the target pattern is included inthe plurality of target patterns; and performing the mapping based uponthe comparing.
 16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein atleast one of the plurality of dimensions is selected from the groupconsisting of an infrastructure dimension, a middleware databasedimension, a middleware application server dimension, and a networkaffinities dimension.
 17. The computer program product of claim 13wherein the information handling system performs further actionscomprising: comparing the set of discovery results against a pluralityof target patterns, wherein the target pattern is included in theplurality of target patterns; in response to determining that the set ofdiscovery results do not match at least one of the one or more targetpatterns, creating a new pattern that describes the set of discoveryresults; and including the new pattern in the one or more targetpatterns and utilizing the new pattern during the producing of thetarget application service.